The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will distribute $7.5 million in grants to municipalities to support recycling and waste diversion at a local level.
These grants will come via the Sustainable Materials Management Grant Program.
“The state is continuing to help our towns and cities identify sustainable ways to dispose of waste and realize savings,” Gov Ned Lamont said in a press release. “With local options for solid waste disposal shrinking and the cost to dispose of waste out of state rising, this grant opportunity gives municipalities more control of their disposal costs and more creative options that are also good for the environment.”
The grants can be used for developing food scrap collection, unit-based pricing programs, and other reduction, recycling and diversion programs, according to the press release.
“Municipal leaders throughout the state know first-hand that the easiest way to reduce the cost of managing municipal solid waste is to reduce the amount of waste being created in the first place,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in the press release. “The funding we’re announcing… will do just that – reduce the amount of organic waste simply being thrown in the trash and instead redirect it to more beneficial uses like composting.”
This is the second round of Sustainable Materials Management Grant.
During the last round, 15 grants were awarded to municipalities and three grants were awarded to regional entities, according to the press release.
“We know from the first round of this grant program that these strategies really work, bringing down costs for towns while at the same time contributing to Connecticut’s self-sufficiency,” Dykes said. “We are grateful for the leadership of Governor Lamont and the General Assembly for authorizing these dollars to combat the waste crisis and look forward to continuing our work with municipalities in bringing down their waste disposal costs.”
Grants are available for both individual and groups of municipalities, and regional entities, including regional planning agencies, recycling operating committees and regional waste authorities. Applications are due by June 27. There will be an informational session about the program on April 28.
On the same day that Lamont announced the next round of Sustainable Materials Management grants, DEEP officials announced that they are seeking requests for proposals for a waste characterization study. This study is to analyze the composition of materials entering the waste and recycling streams in the state. It will also identify the types and amount of waste generated in the state, where that waste is disposed and how much material is diverted.
The study should be completed by Oct. 31, 2026.
